Steptoe Appoints Chief Diversity Partner

Steptoe & Johnson has named Washington partner Daryl “Sandy” Chamblee as its first-ever chief diversity partner. Chamblee started at Steptoe as a summer associate in 1976, and climbed the ranks to become the firm’s first “homegrown” African-American partner in 1985.

“I’ve grown up here, which means I know the firm, the firm knows me. I’m trusted by the leadership, which is important,” says Chamblee, who will now devote half of her time to diversity initiatives and half to her litigation practice.

For the past two years, Chamblee has been co-chair of Steptoe’s diversity committee. She says her new role essentially formalizes the efforts the firm has already been making: “I think with growth, a lot of time, you need to have more structure.”

Chamblee will focus on recruiting and retaining more female and minority lawyers. She got an early start on those efforts when she realized this year’s summer associate class looked like it would have fewer females than she had hoped for. Five female law students had yet to respond to their offers of summer employment, so Chamblee took each of them to lunch to tell them more about Steptoe. As a result, she says, they all came on board for the summer.

Chamblee also plans to launch a firmwide education effort to make sure that current attorneys understand the importance of diversity. “Everybody has to feel invested in making sure that our environment is inclusive. They not only have to feel invested, but they also have to feel responsible,” she says.

Comments

[Obama Support]

Congratulations to Sandy Chamblee